FEAR✹𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 || 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐊𝐔

FOUR

Bold = Japanese
Regular = Korean
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"We're here too," Hye-ra said into her earpiece after giving Mun a quick rundown about the Counters. "We?" Mo-tak asked, sounding slightly surprised. "I'm here too!" Mun chimed in with a smile.

"What are we looking for?" Hye-ra asked as she and Mun walked together, their steps cautious but deliberate.

"Right, he's wearing a grey jacket and regular pants, and he has a large mole on the back of his neck. He bought soju and snacks at a store with a kid and went into an alley. He already seemed quite drunk," Ha-na explained.

The two teens stopped at an alleyway. Hye-ra tapped Mun's shoulder and pointed, indicating they should check it out.

As they explored the dimly lit alley, the duo stumbled upon a family eating fried chicken. Mun carefully scanned the man's neck for a mole. Seeing none, he offered a polite smile while Hye-ra stared blankly, her patience wearing thin.

Continuing their search, Mun abruptly asked, "What kind of snack did the kid get?"

"Are you seriously asking about that right now?" Hye-ra responded, her brows furrowing in irritation.

"It could lead us to a clue," Mun insisted, his lips forming a slight pout.

"There are many empty houses due to redevelopment. Look carefully, okay?" Mae-ok's voice crackled through the earpiece, grounding them in their mission.

"Found him. Across the street from the sauna," Ha-na abruptly announced. "Roger that," Mae-ok confirmed, the urgency in her voice palpable.

The two teens sprinted toward the sauna, hearts pounding, when a sudden yell pierced the air. Mun instinctively moved toward the noise, with Hye-ra close behind. The urgency of the situation quickened their pace.

Through a barred window, they saw a chaotic scene: a woman shoving a pillow into a man's face and an unconscious boy lying on the floor, a spilled bag of kkobugi snacks scattered around him. Hye-ra's eyes widened as she took in the scene.

"Ha-na, did the kid get kkobugi?" Hye-ra asked, her voice strained as she pressed her earpiece, her eyes fixed on the chips strewn on the ground.

"What?" Ha-na's confusion crackled through the earpiece.

Mun stepped closer to the window, peering in with a mix of horror and concern. "Oh, the boy..." he murmured, staring at the unconscious child.

"I told you, we're looking for an adult," Ha-na interjected, her voice insistent. "No, this woman here—" Hye-ra began, trying to convey the gravity of the situation.

"We're looking for a man," Mo-tak's voice cut in, dismissing Hye-ra's concern. "This woman is killing someone!" Hye-ra whisper-yelled, frustration and urgency evident in her tone.

"Gosh, the boy isn't moving either," Mun added, his worry intensifying as he pointed at the motionless child.

"I'll go to where the kids are. You two keep searching," Mo-tak instructed Mae-ok and Ha-na. "I should go in. The kid is..." he said, pushing against the barred window.

"Mun, don't do anything! Don't do anything before I get there!" Mo-tak's voice was stern and commanding.

"Shit. Hye-ra, don't just stand there! Do something!" Ha-na's urgent command came through the earpiece, but Hye-ra remained focused on the scene before her.

"Mun!" Mae-ok's voice rang out as the sound of the barred window breaking filled the air. The duo prepared to enter the chaotic room when they felt a firm grip on their shoulders. They turned to find Mo-tak standing behind them, his presence both reassuring and commanding.